


Alliance

by epitomizedTyrant



Category: RWBY
Genre: AU, Adam taurus came out for an ambush and is feeling VERY attacked right now, Blake came out to have fun and is honestly feeling a little attacked right now, Blood and Gore, Butt touch of the soul, Dust Mining, F/F, F/M, Gen, M/M, Medievil politics, Multi, Pseudo medievil fantasy, Ruby is a normal girl with normal knees
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-02-23
Updated: 2017-11-16
Packaged: 2018-09-26 09:55:27
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 9
Words: 15,421
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9884750
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/epitomizedTyrant/pseuds/epitomizedTyrant
Summary: Beacon is an academy that trains Royalty how to be kings and queens. This story does not take place there.





	1. Prologue

“Pyrrha Nikos,” Cinder said condescendingly as she threw away Pyrrha's scorched shield. “heir to the throne of Arkos, harborer of the exiled family of Prince Jaune of Lancaster, warrior and beloved ruler. You work toward a goal I can not allow.”

Pyrrha wished desperately that she could move. To fight back, anything. She was already exhausted from the festivities and the tournament earlier, her muscles felt like fire. What little fight had been left in her was expended using the bloody heirloom of a shield she had in her room to block fireballs and cuts from Cinder. 

If she survived she did not look forward to explaining this to anyone. However, with Cinder having picked up her scimitar from where Pyrrha had knocked it to the ground, that outcome was unlikely. Maybe if her chambermaid was successful…

Her thoughts were interrupted by Cinder, who had since moved in on her and lifted her chin up so that they were making eye contact. “You are a fool to think that you can keep this peace.”

Pyrrha narrowed her eyes into a chilling glare. “Do you believe in destiny?”

Cinder smirked and raised her shortsword readying a strike. “Yes”

“Pyrrha!” Jaune shouted just as she closed her eyes. They shot open to see Cinder get struck by a white shield and jolted to the side. The shield was followed almost  instantaneously by a six foot tall mass of anger and muscle decked out in blood red armor. As Cinder was carried away from her by a shoulder charge, Jaune was revealed to be standing just inside the doorway, armed only with his longsword after having launched his shield at her attacker.

He dashed through the slightly burning room and she let herself collapse into his strong arms. “Pyrrha - Pyrrha are you okay? What’s happening?” he asked while shaking her gently.

“I'm fine Jaune.” she said as she put pressure on one of the worse gashes to slow the blood loss, “I may require some soothing oil, however.” 

Jaune was about to respond when Cinder howled in pain. The howl rapidly turned into a gurgling wheeze. Blood was pouring out from the cleft in her body that now went from her right shoulder to her solar plexus where a bastard sword was lodged firmly. Ruby Rose grunted as she kicked the corpse of the end of her unusual blade. She sheathed the sickle in her offhand as she walked over to the two and knelt beside them.

“Hello, Pyrrha. Good to see you again.” Ruby said taking Pyrrha's hand. 

“Thank you two so much, you got here just in time.” Pyrrha said as she pulled the two of them into a little hug. They both obliged her with no complaint.

“Who was that crazy bitch anyway?” Jaune asked, at which Ruby couldn't help but snicker.

“I don't know.” Pyrrha sighed, “I think I saw her at the festival, but...” 

“Shhhh” Ruby lightly papped Pyrrha's face, “We’ll worry about that later. Lets just get to your druids.”

“Clerics, Ru, we have clerics.” Jaune sighed.

“Whatever.” Ruby shrugged as she and Jaune started pulling Pyrrha up, careful not to hurt the amazonian woman with her armor. The had to walk out of the door sideways. At least what was left of the nondescript wooden door after Ruby had opened it a touch too zealously. Pyrrha made a mental note to have it replaced with something that better fit with the stonework of the castle. Pyrrha also thought she felt a bit woozy.

“Pyrrha? Pyrrha?” Someone was saying her name as darkness closed in on her mind.

  
  


Pyrrha woke up feeling sore and unrested but very much alive. Her eyes felt covered in crusty sand as she pried them open. A quiet glance around put her in a private room of their infirmary. Relatively sparse, it was still quite nice compared to the shared infirmary room. The walls were simple. A small window let light in from the left of the room which hit the door on the other side in dusty beams. Her bed was against the wall in the middle so that her feet pointed toward the unadorned wall. 

A very angry sigh came from a small table in the corner, where Ruby and Jaune were pouring over a game of chess which Ruby was apparently losing. It had been months - far too long in Pyrrha's opinion - since she had seen the barbarian queen. Pyrrha let her eyes drink the other ruler. Ruby wasn't as tall as she was, standing about six feet to Pyrrha's seven. Pyrrha’s musculature was certainly nothing to scoff at, but Ruby was absolutely made of muscle. 

Ruby had shed her cloak and hung it over her bastard sword, which was leaning against the wall next to Jaune's sword and shield. At some point she had removed the red painted half plate and her helm. Now she was just wearing a simple black silk blouse and some leather trousers. Her long messy hair was raven black and swept back over her shoulders. Pyrrha loved when she could see the deep crimson sheen of her hair in the light, it was breathtaking.

Pyrrha found herself momentarily distracted tracing the scar across Ruby’s lips as she snarled at Jaune, baring her sharp bestial teeth. Pyrrha knew many of the scars Ruby carried. Once she had apparently sat down on a knife and had to have her… druids heal it quickly so she could sit on her throne. However, druidic healing often left scars, and Pyrrha enjoyed tracing that one greatly.

Jaune snickered at Ruby’s growing impotent rage. The exiled prince was incredibly handsome himself. Even though he was turned away from her, she could clearly imagine his piercing blue eyes and youthful features. He wasn’t wearing armor today either, instead sporting a light blue vest over a fancy silk shirt and pantaloons ensemble, as ws traditional dresswear for his kingdom. She desperately hoped that Ruby had brought something acceptably fine to wear at the festival. Fur from Beowolves was not proper ceremonial garb, no matter what Ruby claimed. Celebrations were far different in their cultures, especially this festival which was one of three leading up to the Vytal festival itself. 

Pyrrha’s kingdom of Arkos’ festival was the first in line for the celebration. Normally Lancaster would have followed, but the other kingdoms were unhappy with the exile of the Ark family, so instead Mistral would be the second kingdom to host festivities followed by the island kingdom of Patch. The Vytal festival would mark the first step in their plans, the very thought of which made her sigh deeply.

Jaune's head and Ruby’s eyes flicked around to look at her. Jaune stood up and rushed over. Ruby followed him a moment later after quickly rearranging a few of the chess pieces.

“Pyrrha!” Jaune knelt at her right side, “How are you feeling?”

“I’m fine, Jaune.” Pyrrha responded, a smile brought to her face by the concern.

“I bet. How are you really feeling?” Ruby asked with her fists against her hips, standing behind Jaune. Her head was tilted just a bit to the side and her silver eyes examined Pyrrha, belying the actual concern beneath her casual tone. 

Pyrrha sighed and sank into her pillow a little farther. “I feel like I've been mauled by a bear and then subsequently set on fire. Or perhaps in reverse order. ”

“Damn pyros.” Jaune grumbled.

“I had to spend half an hour scraping her cooked on blood off my sword. She partially immolated as she died.” Ruby grimaced. “Ruined my favorite glove.”

“Are you okay Ruby?” Pyrrha asked at the same time Jaune asked “Why do you only have a favorite glove and not a pair?”

Ruby gave Jaune a loaded look before holding up her hand and answering Pyrrha. “Magic fire, not a problem.” Her hand was relatively undamaged. An old scar ran from the knuckle of her index finger to her wrist.

“That's good.” Pyrrha smiled. “I should be back on my feet before the day is out. I can feel my wounds healing already.” She shifted and it only elicited a bit of pain from her burns and cuts. By a little she meant a lot, but it wasn't debilitating so she was taking it as a win.

Jaune and Ruby simultaneously said, “No Pyrrha, you need to rest!” and, “Hell yeah! That's how we do it!” respectively. Jaune glared at Ruby while Ruby just grinned back at him. Pyrrha giggled at the pair.

A few moments of comfortable silence passed, Jaune glaring halfheartedly at Ruby, Ruby looking back with a half grin.  In spite of all the pain she was in, Pyrrha wished that they could stay like this. It was peaceful. Sure she had almost been assassinated last night and was lying in an infirmary, but she was happy and calm and watching Ruby and Jaune get into another one-way argument. For now, she was Pyrrha, Ruby was Ruby, Jaune was Juane. There was no Princess Pyrrha of Arkos. There was no Beast Queen of the Wylds. There was no Exile Heir Apparent of Lancaster.

With the festival occurring, these next months they would have to be exactly those things, each day and many nights. A lot had to be done before they reached the island of Vytal. The other two seemed to notice her deflate and their expressions turned to concern.

“Pyrrha...” Ruby stepped a bit closer.

“I'm okay, I was just thinking about the festival.” Pyrrha sighed.

They all shared a look, and Jaune opened his mouth to say something but was interrupted by a sharp knock at the door. 

“Lady Pyrrha? I have a message for you.” Said one of Pyrrha's servants from outside the door. 

“Yes, what is it?” Pyrrha spoke loudly to be heard through the door. It made her ribs hurt a bit to talk loudly. 

“Lady Weiss of Atlas wishes for an audience. Shall I tell her you are indisposed?” 

“No, bring her here.” Ruby and Jaune looked at her in surprise, and she grimaced and spoke in a far lower volume. “And thus, it begins.” Their faces turned to share her somber expression and they nodded. 

“Yes, M’lady, right away.” the servant said. His voice obviously suppressing surprise. 

“Weiss will be one of the easiest to convince. Blake of Menagerie is also a solid bet - especially for you, Ru. Weiss and Blake they are… Very close. I personally believe that their friendship at Beacon Academy is the reason that Weiss didn't turn out just like her father. ” Pyrrha’s voice was all business now. Ruby nodded along, paying rapt attention. Jaune had been one of her classmates at Beacon, the academy that all young royals attended to learn the arts. Their class had always seemed like it was missing things. 

Ruby was obviously considering what Pyrrha had said. This wasn't necessarily new information to her, but it had been awhile, so the refresher was sure to be helpful. Her body was squared and standing to her full height. Which wasn't all that impressive beside Pyrrha and Jaune, but Pyrrha pushed those thoughts aside before she could get distracted thinking about Ruby glaring indignantly while they made her look short.

“We can figure out the rest later. We should take advantage of the first celebration to gather information. That will leave us two months to recruit and enact.” Jaune and Ruby both voiced their agreement with Pyrrha's timeline. “”Let's take the time we have until Weiss arrives to catch up. It's been far, far too long, Ruby.


	2. Chapter 1

Weiss eyed the servant suspiciously. He had returned to her and said that he would bring her to Lady Pyrrha, but it looked like they were going to the Chapel of Earth or to the infirmary even. The small courtyard between the main castle and the chapels was pleasantly kept, though it was without obstacles as it was intended to be overflow for when the infirmary was full during sieges. 

The chapels here were far less grand than the ones in Atlas. They were but simple stone buildings with doors far heavier than most found in her home kingdom - she realized she had seen that in every aspect of the castle they passed through as they reached the main ward. Thicker stone, thicker, taller walls and heavy towers instead of the beautiful brick parapets of her home. She supposed it was because Atlas had never been invaded, relying on natural defences and unyielding terrain to stave off the less industrial and more war like kingdoms.

They were into the part of the chapel that was used most often now, single rooms for tournament fighters and nobles. Finally they stopped in front of the only closed door. Weiss stood by wondering why they were here as the servant rapped on the for three times. A couple moments of silence passed before the voice of Pyrrha Nikos spoke up from inside. “Come in.”

“Hello, Weiss, so good to see you.” Pyrrha continued as Weiss entered the room. The scene was a lot to take in. The first thing she realized was how injured Pyrrha was. Only her arms and head were exposed but the burn marks marred her forearms and a large gash poked out from the sleeve of her blouse. Her hair was in a different style than it was last night as well, obviously having been burnt. The implacable and beloved warrior queen of Arkos was bedridden was deeply terrifying to Weiss. However, the other occupants in the room also came out of left field. Jaune she recognized and was not all that much of a surprise. He stood at her right side like a gaurdian. On her left was someone Weiss did not recognize. 

She was a bit shorter than Jaune. Her hair was raven black and pulled back behind her but still managing to look messy and wild. Weiss was struck by her eyes, silver and thoughtful. Strikingly silver. Weiss also noticed the metal bands that clipped her outer ears and the scar across the left side of her lips and Weiss needed to get to business right now before this got weird. 

“M’lady Pyrrha, I’m so glad you could see me. What…. What the hell happened to you?” Weiss said.

Pyrrha sighed. “There was an assassination attempt last night by a pyromancer,” Weiss put a hand over her mouth and gasped in surprise. “It was dealt with though.” Pyrrha smiled gently at her companions. The raven haired woman chuckled darkly when she said “dealt with”.

“Perhaps I should come back after you have had some time to rest then?” Weiss said, not wanting 

“No! No, no now is a good time best to get business out of the way. I'd like to make the most out of this celebration.” Pyrrha said with an almost said tone in her voice. Her companions shifted. “What did you wish to see me about?”

“I-” Weiss took a moment to collect her senses, “just wanted to discuss increasing your exports to my country, specifically of horses and timber. For increased dust shipments of course.”

“Starting a new project are we?” Pyrrha smiled. Jaune looked bored, but the silver-eyed woman looked like she was trying to hide how close she was paying attention. “Before we go on I'd like to introduce you to my friend. You know Jaune of course.” she gestured at the prince before turning to the stranger. “This is my close friend and ally Ruby Rose.” Ruby Rose bowed to Weiss with a grin.

“Its an honor to meet you, Weiss.”

“The honor is mine. Where do you hail from?” Weiss asked curiously, and not just as a formality.

Ruby looked to Pyrrha for a moment who nodded before turning back to Weiss.“I hail from the Rose Throne, which is a castle not like, a chair… Anyway, it’s in the middle of my small kingdom, which was only formed very recently. I haven't decided on a name for it yet.”

“I’ve never heard of that, where is it?” Weiss asked, scolding herself for her lack of tact.

“My kingdom? It's a long walk from here. My people and I hail from the Wylds.” Said Ruby with a vicious grin. It seemed like she puffed her chest out a little at that.

Weiss was taken aback by this. She had always been taught, as had everyone else, that the clans and tribes of humans and faunus in the Wyld were too disjointed to ever become a kingdom. Weiss tried to say it as diplomatically as possible. “I didn't know that any kingdoms existed in the Wylds.”

Ruby grinned and started walking forward, “Well, a few years ago there weren't. The clans were scattered and weak. Lost bastions of sentience in a place crawling with monsters and chock full of ancient ruins.” She reached for a red cloth draped over something and whipped it off, revealing a large bastard sword leaning against the wall. She grabbed it in one hand and pointed it at the ceiling. “But. I felt that they needed some leadership. Now not all those ruins are ruins, and not all those clans are lost.” Her expression flattened out and she transferred the sword to a sheathed grip. “There is only one kingdom in the Wyld, and it's mine.”

“That’s why she is here at the festival.” Pyrrha interjected before Ruby got too carried away. “It's sort of an announcement. Both of her kingdom's existence and of our alliance. Arkos, Lancaster, and the Rose Throne. It's a start.”

Weiss looked quizzically at the mention of Lancaster, because of how much strife there had been between the Nikos family and the Winchester family after the usurpation of the Arks. “My family will be assuming the leadership of Lancaster after the festival.” Jaune spoke up.

“Oh, when was that deal struck?” Weiss asked, and was surprised by Ruby’s laugh, which sounded jarringly innocent. 

Weiss knew the answer before Jaune even responded. “The deal was struck the moment those cowards took our keep. We will be taking Lancaster back by force.” he said in a surprisingly somber tone. She was impressed at how he had grown since Beacon.

“Hopefully it won't come to that.” Pyrrha interjected, “We hope that a simple show of force from our combined armies will be enough to convince them to relinquish Lancaster.”

“I hope they fight back. It's been awhile since we got to lay siege to anything.” Ruby mused.

Jaune and Pyrrha subtly rolled their eyes at that. Weiss decided to change the subject. As everyone in Atlas believed, it's never the wrong time to do business. “Ruby, would your kingdom be interested in negotiating trades with the kingdom of Atlas, perhaps?” Weiss asked businesslike.

Ruby turned from her nostalgic look to look at Weiss. “Yes, of course, we would love to expand our trade and diplomatic ties. You will have to speak to my Steward and my Second about this, however. I will set up a meeting for you with Daichi and Yang as soon as you like.”

Weiss couldn’t help but think of her old friends at Beacon after hearing that name. She always felt a bit sad thinking about Yang Xiao Long. She missed her friend dearly sometimes. The young woman from Patch had always been a great help to her mental state while she was recovering from her father's abuse and coming to terms with what being a ruler would entail. It had crushed her for weeks when word of Yang’s disappearance reached her. Apparently, she and her mother never came back from a trip into the Wylds. Apparently, Ruby saw her change in expression.

“Are you okay?” she asked gently.

“Yes, sorry, was just thinking of an old friend I lost. Her name was Yang as well.” Weiss said.

Ruby tilted her head a bit to the left before straightening it after a moment and saying “Ah, I'm so sorry to hear that.”

There was a moment of awkward silence before Pyrrha coughed lightly and said “We actually wanted to ask you to consider a little proposition.” The other two nodded. Weiss blushed slightly. “We wanted to extend an invitation to join a sort of consortium and defensive pact.” Weiss’s blush faded quickly. 

“That’s a lot to just jump into; there is a lot of potential for diplomatic strain with the other kingdoms, you know.” Weiss said carefully to which they all nodded.

“Diplomatic strain is why we are doing this. Ruby caught wind of someone who seems to be pushing for a war between the kingdoms.” Pyrrha said. “We hope to force her to abandon her plans by creating a strong alliance to make it clear who the victors of such a war would be.”

“I’m sorry, but this isn’t a lot of information to go off of.” Weiss said. 

“We know, believe me.” Jaune said. “But it's all we can tell you for now. Just take a couple days and think about it. Enjoy the festival, meet with Ruby’s people, then we can talk again. Don’t tell anyone about this though, okay? Like, no one at all.” 

“Yes of course.” Weiss said, sensing it was time to go. “I will get back to you on this soon, thank you for seeing me, Lady Pyrrha.” 

Ruby nodded at her as she left and said, “I’ll find you soon and set up the meeting.” To which Weiss gave her affirmations and closed the door. 

Weiss’s thoughts were all over the place as she thought about what she had been told. Another great war would be terrible. They had had peace for so long now, only the occasional small war or coup popping up. Her mind was a mess as she stalked through the courtyards making her way back to the guest quarters. 

She waved at Taiyang in the hallway. He was a good man, and Weiss always felt bad for him losing his heir and beloved daughter. Weiss wondered who those three were going to invite to their consortium.

Meanwhile Ruby had walked over and layed down next to Pyrrha on one side and Jaune on the other. “So that went well I think” Ruby muttered warmly into Pyrrha’s ear. 

“Perhaps next time we can tell her everything.” Pyrrha said in response.

“Ruby hasn’t even told us everything.” Jaune said, which Ruby giggled in response to and nipped Pyrrha’s ear.

“You guys know I can’t really move, right?” Said Pyrrha, her eyes shifting between them.

“Don’t worry, we will do all the moving for you.” Ruby said with a conspiratorial grin at Jaune who nodded with enthusiasm.

“Oh dear…” hummed Pyrrha as Ruby moved in on her lips and Jaune dived beneath the sheets.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry these chapters are so short. 
> 
> Poor Weiss, always poor Weiss.
> 
> Ruby misses the days of besieging castles and "Uniting" the clans.


	3. Chapter 2

Ruby couldn't help but giggle. She stood in one of the taller towers of Arkolis and looked out over the gathered houses and peoples. Almost every major player was here tonight except for Salem, and Ruby knew damn well that she was watching carefully. It hardly mattered though. Salem didn’t know what Ruby had planned. No one but Ruby did really.

She couldn’t stop giggling about it. Ozpin thought he knew all her plans. He didn't. Her beloved partners Jaune and Pyrrha didn’t know her real plans, though she ached to tell them. Her second in command Yang, didn't know. Yang didn’t even know they were sisters. She would save them all one day, but for now they could not know her intentions. 

She had said it was her goal to unite the kingdoms and face Salem with a unified front. Really that was a joyous byproduct of her real plans. She was happy that it would be, should everything go according to plan but it wasn’t necessary to reach her goal. Salem thought that Ruby’s silver eyes were just like her mother's. That was fine by Ruby.

Someone had entered the room with Ruby. The stealth that they had achieved doing was incredible, but alas Ruby could feel their soul flowing and ebbing against hers. Ruby twitched her hand and all the windows and doors and drawers in the room shut violently, making her assailant flinch.

“I know you're there.” Ruby said grinning like a maniac. “Who sent you to me on this beautiful night.” 

There was no answer but her silent assailant settled into a combat stance.

“I always enjoyed the strong silent types” Ruby murmured.

Ruby disappeared from the assassin’s sight in a flurry of rose petals. Then the assassin realized there was a sickle around her neck.

Ruby Rose took in the invader. She was short for one thing, her head only coming up to just around Ruby’s chest. She was dressed in fine silks and carried a parasol with her. “I like your hair.” Ruby said conversationally while examining the multicolored hair on her now captive’s head. She flinched at the compliment. “Now, if you could have, I think you would have made a sound by now. A silent assassin, how quaint.”

Ruby removed her sickle from the neck of the shorter woman and kicked her into the middle of the room where it was illuminated by the moon. “I think you were sent by Salem's people - nod for yes please?” The smaller woman nodded. “Do you want to live?” Nod. “Do you feel appreciated in your current employ?” A confused shake of the head. “Then I have a proposition.” A wary look. “I want you to be a double agent for me.”

The small woman looked surprised and unsure, but she wasn't shaking her head so Ruby decided to count it as a win. “You will return to them at your leisure. Tell them that you were forced to abandon your mission because I was surrounded by people all night, and never tell ANYONE about what happened in this room.” Ruby’s words were punctuated by a flurry of flower petals drifting around the diminutive assassin’s face. She began nodding, at first slowly and then quite quickly and enthusiastically. Her face gave away her joy at getting back at her other employers in some small way.

“I look forward to your first report.” Ruby said, opening the door for her new employee.

As the small assassin scurried out Ruby started giggling again. The world was just so wonderful sometimes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one is short.
> 
> I'm sure everything is fine.


	4. Chapter 4

Yang sat idly polishing her armour in her tent. They were camped around the northern gate to Arkolis Castle, where the first part of the Vytal festivities were being held. She remembered attending them once before with her father. Three years before she and her mother went out on her mother's mission to peacefully unite the clans. They had all gone as a family. She remembered running around the fairgrounds with her best friends from Beacon, Blake and Weiss, and causing all sorts of trouble. Weiss always said it was below their position as princesses, Blake was surprisingly into their shenaniganary despite her stoic outer shell.

It was only now striking her that she might see them all again. She had been so busy as Ruby’s second in command that any return to the kingdoms had been pushed to the back of her mind, but now she had to confront that she may very well see her father and friends again. What was she supposed to say to them? It had been almost eight years now, would they even remember her?

There were few days she didn't think about them. In a way she wanted to return to the kingdoms, but she felt a great debt toward Ruby. Ruby had saved her life in more ways than one, avenged her mother, and in her own way continued her mother's mission. Raven had looked to unite the clans, and she had been doing pretty well until one day some small, honorless chieftain stabbed her in the back after a defeat. By happenstance, Ruby had been in the audience. When she saw the betrayal, she descended upon the bastard like death incarnate. That was back when she still used that bloody war scythe. The dueling arena was painted in the blood of him and everyone who challenged her. Yang remembered just after that fight, Ruby standing atop a small pile of corpses catching her breath and looking at the sky like she was basking in her carnage. 

Yang felt like that moment lasted hours, but soon Ruby had stepped down and demanded to know who the victim of the betrayal was. It hadn't taken her long to make her way to Yang, and soon Yang was telling her everything, like a confidante or old friend even though they had just met. The next month had flown by. Ruby’s ambition grew as she started rounding up the clans her mother had united, using them as a base around which to conquer the other clans. Eventually, she collected hundreds of druids and led them to a massive ancient city deeper in the Wylds than any of them had ever been. She called it the Rose Throne, and ruled from the fortress city once the druids and her people had set about repairing it.

The Beast Queen of the Wylds herself brushed the tent flap aside and strode in. She was wearing a simple red silk tunic and her usual leather trousers. She was unarmed, however, which was odd for the warrior. Every time the blonde saw her liege she felt a single pinprick of fear in her heart. Not because she was afraid Ruby would ever hurt her or any of her friends or people. No, it was just that Yang had been there the day she  _ earned  _ the title of the Beast Queen. It was that with every step Yang was reminded the wanderer was not royalty trained to fight, but a fighter, no, a killer who had learned to be royalty. She had taken power for herself and not had it thrust upon her.

Ruby stood there, sizing up the brawler for a moment. “Yang, you will be taking Yatsuhashi and discussing a trade agreement with the kingdom of Atlas tomorrow. Wear your full ceremonial armor. Let's make a good first impression.” Her silver eyes shut tight as she stretched her arms behind her head. Yang heard a lot of popping from her back. “Damn beds here are way too soft.” she complained before slouching onto one of the other chairs in the small tent.

“Of course, Lady Ruby.” Yang said, mildly testing her liege’s mood. Ruby hated the formalities, and Yang did too in a way and was more than happy to go with what was asked, but it was a useful way to gauge Ruby’s mood.

The normally terrifying queen’s childish grumbles told Yang quite a bit. Apparently she hadn't slept much in the past couple days but was still in a good mood. Yang had a flash of worry that there had been a brawl, but her liege seemed uninjured, though she did walk with a slight hitch in her step. “Where have you been m’lady? If you don't mind me asking?”

The silver eyed woman chuckled happily and made a little swirling motion with her index finger. “Y’know around. Thwarting assassinations. Opening trade negotiations. The usual.” She stretched again. “Where is Yatsu anyway? I need to talk to him.”

The blonde thought he was still in his tent and said as much. Ruby grunted discontentedly and slouched up. Yang wasn’t quite sure how she did that. “Good luck with the trading.” she said as she left. The blonde went to find the manifests so she could get an idea of what she was negotiating for. Finally, those years at beacon were going to start paying off.

 

Ruby silently moved into Yatsuhashi’s tent. Her massive steward was drinking tea quietly reading over some documents. The raven-red head snuck through the room, knowing full well he would discover her before she was successful. He had always been one of the few observant enough to pick up on the ever so slight smell of roses that wafted through the air when she used her semblance.

“My liege.” he said, bowing in place slightly. “How may I help you?”

Ruby leaned on the large man’s shoulder skimming her eyes casually across his reading material. “Tomorrow you and Yang will be meeting with some people.” she murmured to her old friend. “Its supposedly for trade talks, but if it gets off track don't worry about it. Encourage it, actually. Yang will be seeing someone she hasn’t for a very long time, so let her have this. We have no need to be in a hurry.”

He gave his affirmation in a hum followed by a quizzical look. Ruby had a look he couldn’t quite place on her face as she continued. “I may not be as transparent as I have up to now from here on out. I just want you to know its not because I don't trust you. I trust you with the lives of my people.”

She left without explanation. The gentle giant was confused, but aware of what he needed to do.

  
  


Ruby murmured a silent thanks to her lovely little turncoat, Neo, for so efficiently reporting. Mere days had passed and Ruby already found a note written out in cute and tight lines telling her that the Belladonna caravan was going to be ambushed. Ruby was also quite sure it wasn’t a trap as Neo’s aura held no ill will to her when she delivered the note. The small spy had dropped the note off while she thought Ruby was asleep. She hadn’t been totally wrong, but then again Ruby hadn’t truly slept since she was about fifteen.

She chuckled to herself as she pulled on her travel gear. From what she heard, this White Fang clan was little more than a bunch of sick bastards and bandits claiming to be freedom fighters for the faunus; all the while most of their raids happened in Menagerie. In other words, and perhaps better ones, she was free to bathe the ground in their blood. 

She licked her lips thinking about the last line of the note as she walked to give Yang her orders. This was going to be  _ very informative. _

“They are led by a man named Adam Taurus. He should be with the party. Salem did something to him and gave him special powers.”

That meant one of two things. Either Salem had managed to unlock the aura of someone who was older than twenty… Or she had found a way to repair those blasted brands. Both of these things made Ruby very much want to investigate. However, saving the Belladonnas from an ambush? Today really was her lucky day.

  
  


Yang hadn’t slept enough that night, and the morning had not found her happy. Much less so after rousing herself and scouring the camp for Yatsuhashi only to find him waiting calmly at the camps border by their horses. He had simply nodded and then done a double take looking behind her. Yang had looked around to see Ruby barreling at them at an inhuman speed only to stop gracefully and launch into a giddy explanation that she was going on a short trip to do some sightseeing and had told her to see that a letter was delivered to Pyrrha. 

Two hours of riding found them through the countryside and city. Soon the long winding brick streets had them crossing the moat to Arkolis Castle. 

She hated borrowing horses. Yang couldn’t understand why the hell they couldn’t bring their own mounts, but Yatsu kept insisting people would be WAY too scared of them. Yang thought they were a bunch of bloody pansies. Yang also knew Yatsu was right, of course. Both of them had grown up in the kingdoms, so they knew exactly what would and wouldn't get them chased out of towns.

Too bad Ruby happened to be one of those things that got them tossed out in smaller towns. Her mind wandered back to the Wylds as they made their way into the castle. She wasn’t sure if she wanted to go back. She missed the people here.

A couple was relaxing on a bench in the middle of a courtyard. A man with blazing red hair and a silly little hat was chatting with an emerald haired woman and a young girl eating icecream by a shop. 

She even saw some clothing stalls in the middle of the castle’s bazaar. It was so nice seeing clothes made of cloth and not animal hides and metal plates stitched together. It was nice that only the guards and a few people walking around were armed rather than seeing the glint of hard steel on every hip and shoulder.

Out in the Wyld it was beautiful, sure, but here in the kingdoms there were fields and breezes and bustling towns with people who felt safe going about their lives. Even at the Rose Throne, grimm and worse attacked often enough to justify the armament on every able body.

She was shaken back to the present as they reached the inner castle gates. This was the first time she had actually come all the way into the castle rather than just the outer court wall and the town around it. The architecture was simple but pleasing to the eye. The bleached white stonework stood out intensely in the middle of the huge plains that made up nearly half of the kingdom of Arkos.

It wasn’t long before she and Yatsu were being led into the main castle. The twisting halls lined with crimson and gold banners displaying the Nikos crest hung everywhere. Occasionally suits of armor were propped up holding weapons and shields. Everything smelled like pleasant cinnamon.

Yang felt pretty lost by the time they reached a large wooden door that the servant said was their destination. The room she stepped into nearly put her on her knees. Just seeing it brought tears to her eyes. She opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. She could feel the massive steward beside her looking at her with worry. She couldn’t pry her eyes away from the beautiful white clad figure standing behind the table.

. The reality of Yang’s situation now came crashing down upon her once again as the woman turned and warm lilac eyes met icey blue ones. The voice that spilled from those perfect lips nearly turned Yang’s knees to jelly. “Yang?” she asked, “Yang… Xiao Long?!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fixed it.


	5. Chapter 5

“Nooo, Ruby! You can’t kill everyone in your path! That’s wrong!” Ruby herself said with childlike petulance as she jerked her sword roughly from the chest of a white fang mook. Her feet made squelching noises in the field as she walked on toward the commanders stone tower.

Well, she wished it was a commander's tower. Instead, it was just some petty thief Cinder had picked up in a crumbling ruin. His cheap cronies hadn’t laid a single finger on her, and some had tried to run. The air smelled like blood and death. Honestly she was a little miffed that Taurus had not come out to see what the ruckus was. She had made several dramatic poses throughout the fight, all of them wasted on nameless mooks who fell like so much wheat in a harvest. Honestly, she outright regretted using her sword and sickle to tear that one guy in half above her head. Sure it was badass and scary, but now she was grumpy and covered in blood.

Of course that's why she wore her least favorite clothes today; she thought as she flicked a loose piece of gore from her shoulder. Ah well, it looked like she’d have to kick in the door to get her entrance.

That she did. She put a ton of force behind her and kicked the metal door sending it and some parts of the stone wall flying across the room taking out several White Fang along the way. The other four and Ruby’s target stood still. Adam Taurus. The name was familiar. She swore she heard it before.

“The hell?” Adam shouted.

“Hi!” Ruby said brightly 

One of the mooks took that moment to charge her from the right with his club. At the last second she caught it with her sickle and twisted him past her with his own momentum and punched him in the spine as he passed, sending one or two of the vertebrae into his diaphragm. 

She twisted around with the club sending it flying through the head of another Fang mook. The last two shared a look and all three, including Adam, charged.

Ruby glanced back at the door making sure there was no where people could be observing from and all she could see was a field of bodies. Then she grinned ferally at the three. Then she  _ moved.  _

 

-

 

The two goons crumpled as Taurus looked back and forth desperately trying to find his assailant. Then he heard a giggle. He jerked his head around to see the cloaked woman standing exactly where she was seconds ago. 

She spoke. “So. You’re Adam Taurus. I heard you were given a gift by your boss.” He noticed her sharp feral teeth. 

He narrowed his eyes and fell into a guard stance. Hopefully she didn't know what his gift did. Hopefully she could only do that teleport thing once.

“Strong silent type, eh? I  _ hate  _ guys like that.” She slashed with brutal strength down at his head. He caught it on his sword and could feel the power of the strike melt into his gift. 

He feigned impact perhaps a moment too late as the blood soaked attacker narrowed her eyes as well. She immediately struck again and again forcing him to guard and charging his kinetic battery faster than anything he’d ever fought.

After five massive blows, he slashed back horizontally releasing all the stored energy in a crescent of orange power that shattered the wall where his opponent had been standing. 

“So thats your semblance...” a voice whispered in his ear and he panicked trying to swing recklessly behind him.

He hit nothing but air.

“That isn’t the pathetic power that most brands let you wield either.” The voice of his attacker intoned. He felt more emotion than he had in a long time. All of it was fear.

“Yes. Lady Salem made my brand far more powerful than any other.” The whole room was surrounded by a flurry of rose petals. He could barely see the light coming from the hole in the wall and the open door through it. What in the hell was he fighting?

“NO!” The voice shouted, vibrating with anger. “SHe DId NOT Emp **OW** er **it at al** l.” the voice calmed. “ **She neutralized it and unlocked your aura somehow. Let me** ** _SEE IT._** ” The last two words sounded like thousands of voices cascading down on him.

His body dropped his katana and removed his shirt casually. Though he was silent inside, he screamed. On his left breast the White Fang symbol was stitched into the flesh, black and bold against the pale skin. The White Fang bandit clan had the same tradition as all the royal families. If a child was destined to be a warrior the house symbol was stitched into their skin with dust, giving them incredibly fast healing and special abilities, as well as seemingly making them grow taller and stronger than most humans.

The monstrous woman stepped out of the roses and touched his chest. Her eyes blazed silver like some merciless angel who had long ago forsaken mercy and symathy. She cocked her head to one side and he felt as though thousands of hands were groping and grasping at him from all sides. His body seemed to be responding again as he started struggling and screaming.

“ **If you don't shut up I will crucify you and then continue this. Shut up and hold still so I can finish this quickly.** ” He froze with fear. What if she told him to crucify himself? Why hadn't she just told him to shut up then?

Suddenly white hot pain seared from his chest. His shield didn't drain, though. It was like it was pumped up, too much for him to handle. ” **So. She just pulled it open huh. No, more delicate than that, but essentially. I bet that hurt a lot. Not as much as this, but a lot. I think I could replicate that process. Maybe even make it smoother.** ” The pain stopped the second the hand was removed from his chest.

“ **Hmm… Adam Taurus. I swear I’ve heard that name before.** ” She tapped her chin as he sank to his knees. His body still ached but compared to the last few seconds it was bliss. “ **Oh! Know anyone by the name of Blake?** ”

The little brainpower that was flowing brought two words to his lips. That bitch’s name “Blake… Belladonna.” he whispered.

“ **Well I’ll be damned. Didn’t know she was royalty. I guess that explains those tattoos on her thigh.** ” then she smiled that sharp, toothy smile again. “ **Guess I won't have to feel any guilt about what I do to you.** ”

For the first time he met her eyes. A pair of silver orbs that glowed with power set back in inky black sclera.” **Now, where do you store your dust?** ”

-

The bastard pointed to the next room. Ruby said a cheeky thank you and pulled out her sickle. She stretched a bit before striking twice with her sword.

Before his severed arms even moved an inch from his body, her sickle was embedded in his jaw. She yanked it away, ripping off the entire bone. Just in case he survived, she didn't want him telling anyone what happened here. She skipped happily into the next room as the somehow still conscious bandit wheezed in agony. She was happy to say that the dust stores were actually quite good.  She took one keg of fire dust and trailed it out through the first door, over and around and all over the writhing bull, and out into the field. 

She made about twelve kegs worth of trips back and forth between the camp and the now even more ruined tower. Eventually she was satisfied, and after quickly double checking that Adam was still there and conscious she sped out to where she had left the trail of fire dust leading out of the camp.

Some groping in her bloody satchel revealed a piece of flint which she struck a few times over the dust. Eventually it lit and the effect was nigh immediate. Ruby stood and lazily watched it unfold and then sped away to the road to wait for the Belladonna Caravan. She couldn't wait to see the stray kitten that wandered into her woods many many years ago once more.

-

Twelve fiery explosions followed by one huge explosion of fire and thunder and ice removed all trace of the camp excepting a huge scorched crater. Soon all that could be seen of the perpetrator was a swirling eddy of rose petals.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ruby how many people do you know around here anyway?


	6. Chapter 6

Blake Belladonna really did enjoy reading. The bumpy carriage was making it tough to do so, however, and the fact that she was reclining upon its roof didn’t help much either. Her old friend, Sun Wukong, sat across from her in the front left corner of the wagon, idly toying with his nunchucks. 

It really was a beautiful day in the forest. The path the caravan traveled was covered by the canopy, the warm light of day was streaming through the leaves and painting the ground with a beautiful lace of shadows. Her faunus nose picked up on all the smells of the forest.

The cool moistness of the woods, the smell of the wilds, the aroma of burning bodies… wait. Everyone else seemed to be looking around as well looking around for the source of the smell. Usually the smell indicated a raid by the White Fang. Usually even they would honor the peace of the Vytal festival. Apparently this was a kindness  _ someone  _ was not willing to spare. 

“Go! Find out where that's coming from!” Her father shouted from his horse up a little farther in the caravan. 

A few of their vanguard broke off to find the source. She couldn't think of any settlements near here apart from the occasional farm and trade post. The caravan had stopped to let them scout ahead and Sun looked at her questioningly. Right, his nose didn't match most of the people’s with the caravan.

“The smell of death is strong here.” She whispered to him. “They are out looking for the source.”

“Oh.” He said, at a normal volume. “I hope not too many people got hurt.”

Blake sighed and closed her eyes. She didn't like to think about the time she spent with the Fang. All those years ago were full of bad memories, right up until the end. 

“Are you okay, Blake?” Sun asked.

“I was just thinking about old times. The smell reminds me of things I'd like to forget.” She sighed as she opened her eyes and met the monkey boy’s, _or_ _man’s_ she supposed. It was easy to forget that they had grown up sometimes. Especially like this, laying in the sun and reading just like old times.

Suddenly the hairs on the back of her neck sprung up. It felt like a hundred eyes were upon her. Sun glanced around and said so himself, “Do you feel like we are being watched?”

She looked around, but no one seemed to be watching them. “Y-Yes. I see no one but I feel like I’m being watched by a crowd of people.”

In an instant the dreadful feeling disappeared. They didn't feel alone, but they didn’t feel the scrutiny of thousands of eyes either.

“Hello my little stray kitten. I can’t believe you’re really royalty.” A familiar voice whispered in her ear. One she hadn't heard since that year after she had escaped the White Fang.

Two muscular arms wrapped around her shoulders and a red cloak settled around her. A body pressed up against her and held her tight. It was warm and familiar. “Ruby?”

“B-Blake… Do… Do you know who that is?” Sun asked, unsettled at the silent appearance of a red cloak over his friend's shoulders, a single silver iris visible in the shadows beneath the blood red cloak. Arms like iron cables wrapped around her in a gentle and comforting way, directly inverse to the dark visage of sharp white teeth whispering in the cat girl's ear.

Bizarrely Blake only smiled and leaned back into it, brushing aside the hood a bit to reveal a kind face, pale and young, that framed that intense silver orb. “Yes. This is Ruby Rose. I’ve never really told you about her have I?”

As she finished her sentence the woman named Ruby Rose stood to her full height and flipped the hood back, revealing that she wore nothing but her boots and a cloak. Sun yelped and covered his eyes. “WHAT!” he shouted indignantly.

“Sun, what is…. Oh.” Blake murmured as she looked behind her eyes tracing up the athletic thick body and over the beautiful curves that had only become more beautiful and accentuated since they were young. A hot full faced blush covered the black cat’s face.

“Ruby! Why are you nude!?” Blake nearly reached Suns volume.

“I had to clean the blood from my clothes old friend.” The crimson clad murmured.

A quiet realization spread through her. A few people were looking up at them now. Including her father, who looked suspicious of the new character who had taken up a vigil on the carriage roof.

“Ruby… this stench of fiery death. Is it your doing?” Blake whispered.

“Oh, that?” Ruby sniffed. “There was an ambush set up for you. White Fang. Your soldiers will find only ash there.”

“What are you guys whispering about over there?” Sun interjected. “And did she put clothes on yet?”

Ruby laughed and Blake answered him through her blush. “No, no she has not.” Brushing off his question.

“I’ll clasp my cloak if it would make you feel better.” Ruby muttered. “What was I supposed to do while my clothes dry anyway? Wait?”

“YES!” Sun said making Ruby ‘pffft’ and chuckle.

Blake finally stood closing her book around a slip of paper. “She’s kind of dressed now Sun. You can open your eyes.”

“Besides you are hardly one to talk blondie.” Ruby smirked checking him out. “Do you ever wear shirts? Not complaining but...”

Suddenly Ruby’s face grew grim. “Blake. How well do you know this one?”

The nearly naked woman nearly skewered Sun on her angry glare. That.... was worrying. “Ruby, he is one of my oldest friends, I've known him since we were kids. What's wrong?” 

The cat girl put herself between the crimson cloak and her childhood friend. She stared down the shorter woman, and demanded to know what was going on.

“Is he a noble?” Blake shook her head. “Then why is he branded?”

Sun only now noticed the hand and a half sword slung at her hip across a leather bandolier. Ruby’s hand rested on it menacingly, pushing aside her cloak enough to see far more of her body than Sun was comfortable with.  

“H-How did you know that?” Sun demanded.

“What? It's true?”

Ruby sighed and let her hand fall from her sword. “Sorry. I'm just being paranoid I guess. There was an assassination attempt made on Pyrrha Nikos last week by an unknown branded pyromancer.”

“No need to worry about that.” Sun shrugged. “My brand was a failed experiment. I uh. When I was a kid, some people were running experiments to see if people without royal blood could be branded, and it turned out the answer was no. My brand is entirely useless.” 

Blake’s odd friend tilted her head to the left slightly, and then far to the right. “It does work, though?”

“No, it’s a total bust. I can't use it at all.”

Ruby moved quicker than Sun could quite follow and suddenly she was less than a foot away from him. Her silver eyes locked with his, and for a moment he didn't realize that she was firmly gripping his right ass cheek. 

“Ruby, why are you groping Sun?” Blake said more calmly than anything Sun could have mustered, which was saying very little at this point as he was basically speechless.

He felt something stirring inside him. It was condensed and centered and flowing around the brand on his rump. After a moment it was gone. As was the firm grip.

“Huh, weird.” Ruby murmured. “It was actually locked somehow. Bizarre. It should be fine now. We’ll need to talk about this later, this could cause issues.”

“Someone tried to kill Pyrrha?” Blake said as she tried desperately to process the situation. A second thought dawned on her. “Sun has a tattoo on his ass?”

“Yes and yep.” She said, putting a cheerful pop on her affirmation. “The first was dealt with, the latter is a thing of beauty.” The silver eyed woman swished her cloak closed again and nodded authoritatively. It would look authoritative at least, if her expression hadn’t been the silliest mimicry of seriousness hed ever seen.

After a moment of holding that position, Ruby sighed and returned to a relatively normal stance. “Sorry about the ass grabbing stare down… Sun?”

About that time, the soldiers returned and briefed Blake’s father as the three on the roof turned to watch passively. After a few moments he approached them. 

“We found the… site. The only recognizable remains were a few scraps of cloth, some of which had the White Fang's crest.” The elder Belladonna gaze landed on Ruby. “Who is this?”

“This is Ruby Rose, dad, I believe I told you about her after I… came back.” Blake responded.

“Hoi!” Ruby said as she saluted, once again brushing her cloak to the side revealing her right half. The elder Belladonna sighed and put his head in his hands. 

“Blake… Do any of your friends wear clothing?” Ghira groaned.

“I swear that isn't why they are my friends!” Blake grumbled.

“Probably didn’t hurt.” Sun and Ruby fistbumped behind her.

Ghira sighed and gave Blake a look that landed somewhere between sympathy and suspicion and Blake just put her hand on her forehead and sighed.

“C’mon, Ruby, we need to talk to dad.” Blake beckoned to the Crimson cloak who had since raised her hood again.

“We need to talk about your brand later.” Ruby whispered in Sun’s ear as she passed him to follow Blake to the ground. The three of them walked off as Sun watched.  _ Apparently they had something to talk about. _ Thought Sun as he sat back down to contemplate the soulful butt touch he had experienced earlier, and then immediately tried to suppress the thought.

  
  


Darkness had fallen and the caravan had set up camp for the night, Sun was settling just right into a tree on the outside of camp. He left Blake at the center of the camp reading some time ago because he couldn't stand sleeping in the main camp. That and that Ruby chick scared him a bit. Where had she even appeared from earlier, how did one sneak into the center of a caravan of FAUNAS? Much less past the royal guard…

“Hello, Sun.” A voice murmured from above him, almost purring.

He almost fell out of  the tree in his mad scramble but recovered after a moment and answered suavely.

“Hi.”

If by sauve he meant that his voice cracked halfway through.

Ruby sat above him in the tree, wearing a plain cotton blouse and some leather trousers she borrowed from the princess. “We need to talk about your brand.” Ruby said, idly scratching at the largest scar on her face. “Tell me how you got it. Then I'll tell you what I did to it.”

“Okay, well no smalltalk then.” Sun murmured. “Uhm, when I was a kid some faunas scientists wanted to prove that only royal blood could accept the sigil, and they did. They branded me with the symbol of the sun, it didn't take, and so they gave my family some money and that was it.”

“Well. They lied to you. Your brand is perfectly functional, but they somehow locked your aura. Not well. I don’t know how. But regardless, your semblance is useable now.”

“My what?” Sun asked.

“Your… Brand.” Ruby sighed. “Technically... Listen, nevermind. The point is, that you can use your powers and you will be able to access all the power your brand allows you.”

“But how? Why? Why would they lie?”

“I don’t know. Were I to guess, I’d say they just wanted to keep the idea that royal bloodlines are something special in of people's heads.” Ruby’s hands clenched a little, Sun wasn’t sure why, though. “You will need to start meditating to try and expand your mind. Well, technically it would be to probe the limits of your awareness. So you can figure out what your semblance does and such.”

“So… What does this mean?” Sun asked.

“It doesn’t really mean anything. It just is.” 

“No, the fact that they lied about the experiment. That I don't have royal blood but can use a brand?” 

“Oh. That.” Ruby sighed. “Royal blood doesn’t… exist so much. A brand just lets your soul be channeled. It doesn't unlock your true potential, though. But yeah, the bloodlines are made up. There is nothing special about them. Many of them are just full of extraordinary people, like Jaune and Pyrrha, and apparently the little stray. Not so little now.“ Ruby smiled wistfully and glanced back into camp.

“So where does that come from? The nickname.” Sun had been curious since he heard that Blake knew Ruby from her…. Darker years.

“Oh, ages ago I found her wandering at the edge of my forest on a rainy day. Well. Running into it. But she was skinny and bruised and looked like a drowned cat. So I took her in for a few months.”

“I wonder why she never told me...” Sun sighed.

“Well, she probably didn’t want to cause you anymore retroactive worry.” Ruby mused, kicking her feet back and forth as they talked.

“Why in remnant would knowing she was safe for some of that time make us more worried?” 

“Because.” Ruby grinned wickedly. “I live in the Wylds.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry if the formatting is weird. 
> 
> Ill fix it if its annoying.
> 
> Poor Sun.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter may be longer at some point

Weiss felt frozen in place, the only moving thing about her her pounding heart. Yang Xiao Long, her closest friend when she was in Beacon. Yang Xiao Long, who she thought dead for more than eight years. Yang Xiao Long, who had shared a room with Weiss and Blake for nearly four years, who helped council both of them back from the brink of suicide.

Yang Xiao Long, standing in front of her in yellow half plate and a leather coat, Ruby Rose’s emblem painted across her chest, staring at Weiss like some kind of angel. Yang Xiao Long who stood there  _ alive _ .

The Princess of Atlas felt a great conflict balling up in her chest. Anger and happiness and confusion twisting around in a spastic cocktail.  _ Ruby knew.  _ Weiss realized. Weiss could think well enough to see Yang's expression. It was a contortion of happiness and sadness pushing a small sheen of tears to her eyes. Weiss’s own eyes wandered across her old friend, completely unintentionally of course. She appreciated the strength that had filled out Yang's form, as well as how other things had… filled out. 

Weiss was starting to blush. A lot. This was unseemly for the ruler of the Atlas kingdom on SO many levels. She couldn’t believe herself, seeing Yang again, alive and VERY healthy and immediately leering at her like some kind of low class rube.

She shook herself mentally, and took a step forward. Yang seemed to recover as well. Weiss opened her mouth to speak but felt herself being lifted off the ground in a rib crushing hug.

“Weiss! I can't believe it's you!” Yang was almost sobbing into her chest.

“Yang, where have you been? It’s been so many years, and I’d love to keep hugging you but you are crushing my ribcage.” Weiss wheezed happily. 

“Sorry, Sorry.” Yang faux whispered, setting the girl in white down. “It’s just, I thought I'd never see you ever again.”

Yang laughed and brushed her wild hair out of her face. Weiss noticed how much older she looked, mature and a lot like her dad. Weiss never realized how much Xiao Long blood was really in her old friend but there was no mistaking her family. The small scar above her eyebrow and obviously broken nose really brought back memories of their time at Beacon academy, Yang always getting into trouble, Weiss trying to keep her in check, Blake just trying to keep them out of the towns…

“I thought you were dead Yang. We all did.” Weiss whispered sadly.

“By all rights I probably should be. I'm so sorry i was gone for so long. I had, have, a debt to fulfill.” Yang smiled sadly at Weiss. She was curious about this debt, about a lot of things really.

All questions were momentarily driven from Weiss’s mind when their eyes met and they stood there, enjoying a companionable silence. Eventually Yang’s large escort coughed into his hand. The two old friends broke eye contact and awkwardly shuffled back a few steps.

Weiss inhaled through her nose and said: “Right, down to business.”

“Actually, Lady Ruby said that if you two wanted to catch up you could. We are in no particular rush to establish the contracts, as nothing can be traded until the the second week of the Vytal Festival.”

“Wait, so Ruby planned this meeting?” Yang demanded of Yatsu who looked amused and worried at the same time. 

Yatsu simply shrugged and walked out the door. Weiss’s assistant followed swiftly, Yang jolted at the sudden movement. She hadn’t even noticed the purple haired woman.

After a moment of silence Yang spoke up. “So, how have you been?” she said casually, putting her fist on her hip.

“Yang. We haven't seen hide nor hare of you since you disappeared into the Wylds. And that's what you start with.”

“Well yeah. I want to know what's been happening in the world, you know? And you are the best place to start.” Yang shrugged.

“Oh, well… i’ve been good, i guess. Im the full ruler of Atlas now. You were right all those years ago, Whitley really did try and steal my inheritance. And then he challenged me to a duel. After he was soundly defeated he tried to sell out some secrets to the Winchesters, which Atlas considers high treason. Punishable by life imprisonment.”

“Ha, harsh.”

“Well what do you do with traitors?” Weiss demanded.

“Oh, someone interrogates them then either pardons or executes them.” Yang shrugged.

Weiss narrowed her eyes. That was far harsher in Weiss’s mind. She decided to just move on. “So how have you been?”

Yangs face held an odd expression for a moment, then she shrugged and started talking. “I’ve been good I guess. Its still hard to believe it's been eight years since mom died sometimes.”

“Im sorry, what happened?” Weiss remembered Raven as being a standoffish and proud, but loving, woman from a far off land. Weiss flinched realizing what she had asked. “You dont have to tell me of course...”

“No, no it's fine Weiss. She took me to the Wylds so i could be with her as she worked to unite the Clans. It was going so well. She had a few under her control, often through a combination of diplomacy and dueling, as is tradition. And then one day one of the clan leaders wasn’t so honorable, and after his defeat, as soon as mom turned her back he… he cut her down.”

Weiss moved to Yangs side and put her arm around her, intending to massage her back a bit like she used to, only to find a layer of steel between them. Some things felt so new about her old friend. Yang continued after a breath.

“That was the day i met Ruby. uhm, but first he and his men turned on me and Yatsu, who had joined us only a month before, intending to kill us or sell os or… that's not important. Anyway, Ruby was in the audience that day for some reason and apparently that dishonorable move really pissed her off. I think that day really set us on the path to the future.”

“So, what did she do? You said she was mad.”

“Oh she killed him and all his followers. The dueling floor was muddy with blood. Then she recruited us and took up my mothers cause, in her own sort of way. Mom just wanted to reunite the clans into something like a coalition. Ruby decided to unite them under the Rose Throne.”

Yang saw Weiss’s curious look and explained. “The Rose Throne is a huge ruined castle city deep in the Wylds.  Its strikingly beautiful place, a huge circular wall bordered by deep ravines and a thick forest. And the castle in the center is absolutely huge. Bigger than Beacon even. A lot of the rooms are rather unusable though. These great big thorny vines grow all over it. In the summer huge rose blossoms sprout all over the castle and city, they’re twice the size of a person!”

“That sounds incredible.” Weiss really did think sound incredible. She had heard stories of the Wylds all her life. It was said to be full of great ruins, and even at the edges of remnant its trees grew many many times the size of most trees that she had ever seen. The ruins were well known to be full of great treasure and knowledge for those daring enough to go there. It was utterly full of the creatures of grimm. They were not born there, the pits were deep in the mountains, but many wandered there. She didn't know how the clans kept their livelihoods in that horrible region.

“The Wylds… they are incredibly beautiful. That place is full of long forgotten history and from what Ruby has implied great power. But… It really doesn't beat Patch, or Beacon or… It gets lonely out there. Well. that might have just been me, stranger in a strange land and all.”

“I'm sorry you were lonely.” It suddenly struck yang that they had just been standing about the spacious meeting room.

“It wasn’t all bad. I had Yatsu and Ruby. Others sometimes.” Yang aid as Weiss hooked her arm in yangs and pulled her toward the door. The blonde couldn't stop a light blush from painting her cheeks. “Where are we going?”

“I thought we could walk over to the sparring arena, watch while we catch up.” Weiss answered.

They chatted idly about about Remnants state as they walked. Weiss told Yang about the relations of prosperity of various kingdoms, eventually getting to telling her how the Arc family had been usurped in Lancaster. Yang eventually asked how her father had been. Distraught, but very present in his kingdom. Apparently it was bad at first, but he got better pretty quickly, though he never fully recovered.

They walked in a friendly silence for a bit, Weiss desperately trying to figure out how she felt about a lot of things, Yang trying to figure out how her father would react to her being alive and how soft Weiss’s hands had felt.

Soon they reached the sparring yard, empty except for the ring, where dull thunks of practice weapons echoed and a tall woman with red hair was clashing sword and shield with a blonde man. She fought more aggressively and skillfully, using a smaller shield to parry all of his attacks and striking quickly, but all her attacks fell hard upon his kite shield. Though his form was simple, he struck with purpose and skill in each blow.

Both were utterly drenched in sweat, the day was warm and they had likely been at it for quite sometime. Weiss and Yang had just sat down in the front seats of the small bleachers when the two stopped, looked at eachother for a moment and then fell to the ground beside each other panting.

“Hey guys, fancy seeing you here!” Yang grinned.

The two warriors looked over in surprise at their old classmate and friend. “Holy shit Yang! You’re alive?!” Jaune nearly shouted.

“Yang? Oh wow, hello again!” Pyrrha said as she stood up, taking a moment to help up Jaune as well. “So you really are Ruby’s second. I hate to say so Jaune, but I completely called it.”

“Damn.” Jaune chuckled. Both of them gave Yang a hug. They sat down on the bleachers and all got caught up for a bit. Yang gave her condolences about Jaunes unfortunate coup de grace, which he explained in as much detail as he had. Apparently nearly his entire house had been vacationing on the island of Patch when the winchesters had simply snuck into the castle and took it hostage with the few house members who had remained behind, made up of his pregnant sister and two nephews. 

“Hey, Pyrrha I’ve got a letter for you.” Yang said, pulling out said letter. “Lady Ruby said she was going on a sightseeing trip and wanted me to give this to you.”

“No need for formalities here. Jaune and I are FAR beyond that stage with Ruby.” Pyrrha said as she opened the letter. As her eyes scanned it her face went from a benign smile to confusion and then irritation. “God damn it Ruby. God damn it.”

“What's wrong?” Jaune said looking over her shoulder

“You were right about the sightseeing Jaune. You were absolutely right.” Pyrrha sighed.

Jaune laughed, “I told you that's why she always wanted to go right to bed when she came back.”

Weiss put her face in one hand and sighed.

“Uh, what do you mean?” Yang asked.

“Whenever Ruby gets back from ‘Sightseeing’ She always wa-” Pyrrha started but was interrupted by Jaune. 

“What she means is that sightseeing is code for going out and fighting something. And that's all she was talking about.”

“Oh. I didn’t think we were keeping that a secret. Sorry.” Pyrrha shrugged. The movement was similar to the rest of her movements. Simple. Careful. Practiced looking.

“Keeping what a secret?” Yang asked, eliciting a sigh from Weiss.

“Oh, that Jaune, Ruby, and I are in a relationship.” Pyrrha said brightly, causing Jaune to facepalm and many images to flood poor Weiss’s mind and paint a deep blush across her face. Just thinking about Pyrrha, and Ruby… and now Yang was nearly giving her a case of the vapors.

“Oh, uh. Wow. You guys. And Ruby.” The blonde seemed a bit shellshocked at the realization.

“Sorry Yang, I know that's a bit… Taboo here, and especially on Patch...” the other blonde tried to placate.

“No it's not that.” Yang shook her head. “It just means that Ruby, loveable rogue that she is, has been getting tail leagues above what I've been getting for… probably years now. I always thought I was the charismatic one.”

“Don’t worry you could catch up easily if you put your chest into it.” Weiss mumbled.

“What?” Yang asked, obviously not having heard very well.

“I said you would surely find a good relationship if you put your heart into you deaf loon.” Pyrrha and Jaune both gave her knowing looks which she answered with scowls.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Does that count as shipping?
> 
> After chapter ten or twelve ill probably break from my established structure of Ruby doing something, other chapter Rubes, Other, etc. 
> 
> Jesus Weiss your gay is showing.


	8. Chapter 8

               A small patter of young feet shook dust from the musty stone centuries buried. The darkened antechamber was menacing, not to the young girl in a red cloak who was running across a raised walkway towards a massive alter. The precocious girl was in awe of the massive room. It reminded her of the huge castle they had seen from afar a few days ago, which her mother had jokingly named the “Rose Throne” after herself, Summer Rose.

               Her mom was somewhere else, exploring some weird carving on a wall. The young girl loved exploring with her mom a lot, but sometimes it got really boring. She hissed when she tripped on the first step and scraped her knee on the old stone. She had caught herself on her hands and knees, so she turned herself over to sit on the step and look at the spot that made her slip. It was wet worn away, leading to a little crack in the tile floor, obviously having been eroded by a leak. The little one shrugged and doggedly continued up the steps.

               The room only had one source of illumination. A massive silver orb suspended in mid air between several strangely carved stone pyres. The sight illuminated the crimson irises of the child. It was hypnotizing, she felt drawn to it. She climbed onto the dias. She walked forward, pushing a couple spires over as she went.

               Soon she was upon the orb, its cool light whispering to her. She reached out….

 

 

               **BETRAYAL.** SHE. She? He? _T **H**_ **EY?** Who…. She was… Rose. Her name was Izu… Mets… Rose. Her family name was Rose. She was 9 and she was **THE FORCE OF BALANCE** and she was traveling with her mother, lo **OKING FOR REVENGE AGAINST CONSPIRING BETRAYERS.** NO **SHE WAS POWER, SHE WAS A FORCE SINCE TIME IMMEMORIAL A** nd she was going to grow up to be an adventurer just like her mom! S **HE WAS TRAPPED IN THIS GOD FORSAKEN CRYPT SINCE GOOD AND EVIL HAD DECIDED TO SHATTER THE BALANCE IN THE WORLD AND TRAPPED HER HERE An** d they were out looking for the ancient recipe to the powerful materia Blood Stone, which had been lost to the Wylds long ago!

               But what was her name? **Rose, like her mother. Right? Her name was** **slrfcsm** **Rose. No. why couldn’t she remember. She was… angry? So angry. Those bastards. How dare they, turn on her. She was there to maintain the balance, between good and evil. She had done her job dutifully, regardless of her own thoughts.**

**There was something crawling around inside of her. At her center, deep in her body she could feel a little human, slowly disintegrating into little rose petals. Out from there, in some limb there was a larger one, in a white cloak, looking and caressing her. It… tickled? She sighed, she couldn’t stretch per say, but her awareness could move about, expanding to its full, undeniably massive scale. She reached for miles. Hundreds of miles, out in all directions, a tip of her existence peeked out into a strange place, where the magic didn’t run so strong.**

**Why** was she so big? Where were her hands? She was suddenly incredibly a **fr** aid. “Mommy?” She whispered. “ _MOM?_ ” she whispered again, a little louder. The white cloak stood up, suddenly terrified, she could feel the fear and worry.

               “Baby? Little Ru? Where are you?” She shouted.

               “ **I don’t know anymore. Im scared mom. I think I messed up. I KNOW you Said not tO touch anything but it was just so pretty…** ” She paused. “ **Wha… Whats my name? I…. Im Rose?** ”

               “Yes.” Her mom cried. “Yes your name is Rudania Rose.”

               “ **…** ” Her silence had **presence** she realized. “ **Im sorry mom. I don’t think… I don’t think that’s my name anymore.** ”

               She wanted revenge. She wanted answers. She wanted to… **Why didn’t she care about returning balance to the world? That was her ultimate and undeniable purpose, Right? It was like some chain had been lifted off of the nine year olds shoulders. No. she was hundreds of years old? Why couldn.t..**

**Something the color of blood. Something showing of power and…. Royalty. “I think my name is Ruby. Ruby Rose.”**

“What happened to my daughter? Where is she?” Summer screamed at the voice of her daughter that was emanating from the walls.

               **“I think… I am… and yet am not…. Her? Yes. Im sorry, Summer Rose, you were a wonderful mother. I love you dearly. But I am not Rudania Rose. Nor am I what I once was. I am. I simply Am now. ”**

Eventually Summer stopped crying. A few days later she came to terms with everything, and left on a journey. Ruby spread herself out, examining each little nook and cranny of her new form. It took her a year to “Read” all the books and tomes in herself. She knew of war and strategy, and of how to craft powerful magics and weapons. She knew swathes of history. She was growing in power, she could feel it.

               Her mother came back a few times a year, to visit. She would cry a lot then. Five years later Summer stopped coming. Ruby desperately wanted ot believe that she had simply lost interest in her almost daughter, but that was unlikely. Ruby mourned, her body shook, somewhere a tree fell from the wall of an ancient castle.

               Then one day, in some far reach of her body, something entered. Something small and trembling and hurt. It drew her attention from the silent madness of solitude.

              

 

               Blake hated them. She was crying, sobbing as quietly as she could in some stone towere at the edge of a wood, hiding from the elements and the group of white fang who were trying to track her down. She had trusted them. She joined them because they were going to help protect her people from the other kingdoms. But then they had just prayed on the fuanas of menagerie instead. Bastards. When she had refused ot help them they had just snarled at her and thrown her in a cage. Then one day they dragged her out to the centor of the camp and tied her to a pole, to be an “Example of what happens when a fang lacks conviction.” She could still feel the torn skin from the whips on her back and stomach and thighs. She shouldn’t have run. They were sure to do far worse to her this time.

               She was suddenly aware that she was being watched. Had they found her? No, those brutes weren’t quiet at all.

               **“YOU ARE HURT, Little cat.”**

It wasn’t a voice she recognized. It was massive and full of power, but it spoke so gently. It sounded feminine, and caring and… worried? “Im… sorry to intrude.” She apologized to the spirit. White fang were one thing, but this… this was powerful.

               **“YOU NEEDNT APOLOGIZE. I SAY AGAIN, YOU ARE HURT. WHAT HURT YOU? HM. THOSE WOUNDS. ARE THEY FROM WHIPS? MAYBE I SHOULD BE ASKING WHO HURT YOU?”**

Suddenly thousands of eyes were examining her. “They are still following me great spirit. Im so sorry to have drawn them here.”

               “Ha, what, no im not a spirit. You must be hallucinating from your wounds, close your eyes and rest for a while. No harm will come to you here. Ha ha yeah…”

            She followed the spirits orders. How could she not?

 

**The cat woman fell asleep at her command. Hopefully she hadn’t offended her by calling her a little cat? Oh man it would suck if that was some kind of animal person slur. Faunas. Anyway. She carefully moved her power to bring the little faunas deeper inside, into the Wylds proper. She managed to find a room in one of the castles that made up her body that was relatively preserved through time. The bed wasn’t full of insects nor was it dirty, so she tucked in her geust and found her attention drawn back to the little outcropping of herself.**

**Five men had wandered into the dilapidated tower. She hated their sneering faces with a passion. She looked at them, nearly focusing all of her attention there once the little faunas was tucked in. One of them soiled herself at her glance. She decided to really look at him. He collapsed, vomiting onto her stones. Ew. But that look did acquaint her with some basic physiological knowledge. Next she looked at a female who had been staying quiet, looking conflicted in the back. That was more useful.**

**She heard them badmouth her guest as the others tried to cajole their insane companions into continuing inward. She felt a little bad, it had not really been her intent to destroy their senses of self, but… oh well. Who cares, after what they had done to her guest. She stretched, opening the stones beneath them. Soon no trace could be found in that bulwark on the edge of the wyld wood.**


	9. Chapter 9

Blake woke up. The room around her was… ancient. The windows were covered by curtains that long ago were beautiful, but now were less cloth than tear. The rest of the room was in similar disrepair, dust had long settled on the splintered furniture, one corner of the room was overgrown with thick vines that had long ago broken apart the stonework.

A warm breeze blew through the window, fluttering the shreds of cloth and lightly tussling Blake's dark hair.

“Good morning little kitten. How did you sleep?” a familiar voice broke the morning stillness from the other side of the oak door, decaying though it was she could not see who.

The voice brought back memories, of the past weeks, months, the last night. Months of doubt, weeks of regret and guilt, a night and day of pain and beatings. Three days of running. And now. Here she was, in some artifact castle with a ghost.

“I… slept peacefully. Thank you.” Blake said as loudly as she could. Her vocal chords were still raw from screaming, so she couldn’t muster much sound.

“You… are in pain. I can... I will get you some… tea. There is a tree with leaves that will ease your pain near here. Rest. I'll get you food and drink.” The voice spoke in a wandering tone, like someone examining an item they were slowly growing to understand more. There was also much concern in her voice, apparently for Blake's health.

Blake was about to respond, but the person was gone. She must have hallucinated the ghost then, in her exhaustion. The voice surely belonged on the tongue of a young woman. She found herself yawning.

Even after her long rest she still felt exhausted, and soon she fell asleep once more. She awoke in the early afternoon  to the scent of cooked meat. A stone pillar stood beside her bed like a nightstand, on it was a silver platter with a steaming cup of what she assumed was tea and a large portion of cooked meat. She looked around the room, but a part from the lunch it was still as empty as it was before.

The tea soothed her throat and body. It was incredible, easily the best drink she had ever had. The meat was far less exemplary, it was a bit burned and gamey, much like White Fangs usual… fair.  The platter was incredibly ornate and polished to a mirror like shine. The golden eyes staring back at her were almost unrecognizable from the ones she used to know. Her once long and beautiful hair looked ratty and mangled, there was dirt and blood caked to her face, and her eyes looked much older.

She watched as a tear fell from her eye and hit the plate. Then another. she let the plate clatter onto the stone pillar and pulled herself up into a fetal position to sob silently as she was bombarded with memories of the recent past.

And then she was being held.  A pair of strong arms wrapped around her, a body pressed against her back, and a chin rested on her shoulder. She was humming, a lullaby… Blake felt very tired, now that she thought about it….

Blake woke up. The room around her was… cozy. It seemed to be a little stone hamlet type house. A small fire was burning in the fireplace beneath a hearth lined with strange objects. A small desk sat against a far wall with some dusty papers and parchment nailed to the wall above it, lined with runes and symbols she didn’t recognize. The ceiling was the underside of a pyramid, and from it hung nets filled with glass orbs.

“Good morning little kitten. How did you sleep?” A cheery voice whispered beside her.

She flinched away and looked down to see a woman with red tipped hair and glowing silver eyes laying beside her on top of the bedclothes.  A red cloak was covering her from the neck down, two large silver roses clasped it together vertically over her right breast.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to surprise you.” The voice was far gentler now, as she sat up.

“Its okay… I’m just… a little on edge right now. Thank you so much for saving me. Who… are you?”

“My name is Ruby Rose! And it was my pleasure.” She said with a little sitting bow and a smile. “Who are you?”

She hesitated. “My name is Blake. Where are we?”

“Here? This is a little house my mom used to stay at. It sits on one of the old walls.”

“Walls of what exactly?” Blake asked as she tried to crane her neck to see out the window. It was very verdant.

“The Rose Throne! It’s a truly ancient ruined castle. No, castle is too small a word. Its walls can hold more than a hundred thousand people, and its battlements stretch for miles! We are just inside the city proper, on the wall behind the chasm.” Ruby said with a grin.

Blake had never heard of anything like that. Arkolis keep was the only fortress city of any size she could think of, but it had been in the opposite direction of where she ran. “What kingdom are we in?”

“Well, we aren’t really… I believe your people call it the Wylds.”

Blakes heart skipped a beat. The Wylds were where she had run to? The Wylds were the ruins of some ancient civilization destroyed by wild untamed magic that stormed throughout the world. The ruins of it were legendary and those few that dared venture into forests came out with treasure, if they came out at all. She looked anxiously out the window, like she expected a monster to burst in at any moment.

“You are safe here. You can rest easy here. If you would like, there is a bath house near I can make run again. And I believe there’s a trove of garments near here that are still intact. They might be enchanted though.” A moment of silence passed, “Not like, cursed but ya know. Enchanted. Never get dirty or something.”

“I couldn’t impose more than I already have, thank you though.” She bowed her head as she spoke.

“No no! Its no trouble at all! It’s so rare I have guests, please use the facilities here!” Ruby said as she clasped her hands in front of her and opened her eyes wide, putting on the saddest puppy face Blake had ever seen.

“Okay, okay! Sorry. Please, show me to the baths please?”

A few hours later Blake was finally wiped of grime and blood that had cloyed at her for the past few days. Her wounds had even healed in the cleansing waters, and now she was wrapped in robes fit for a queen, it was black silk that was gilded in magnificent designs threaded in gold filaments.

Ruby was leading her up a street that was gently sloping toward what Blake assumed was the central keep. Blake thought she was a little unfocused, like she was lost in thought. It was the first time Ruby’s attention had been anywhere but on her since she had arrived. She wondered what she was thinking about.

Ruby was off balance. This form was new to her, the last time she had a human body she was a little girl. Or boy? It didn’t matter. The problem wasn’t that however, she could move with as much grace as she needed to seem normal. No the problem lay more in containing herself in the frail body. Every movement threatened to tear the weak flesh apart. It was an enormous difference from being spread throughout the castles of the Wylds, literally thousands of cubic kilometers to slough into from the couple of meters she had to work with now. She knew from the past few days she had let Blake sleep that this body would disintegrate by nightfall and she would be thrown back into the system of structures and tunnels that crisscrossed the Wylds.

She had a plan for this next body that she had some confidence in. She would lay filaments of magical metal through its sinews, refine dust crystals and insert them into the marrow, and lay runes upon its bones. If she used every bit of space allowed the vessel might sustain her for days or months even without having give it a rest. And in most structures she could use it as a puppet rather than inhabiting it the entire time.

The point was though, that Ruby was off balance, and she was fairly sure Blake could pick up on that somehow. She didn’t think Blake was dangerous to her, but she didn’t need more to worry about af **teR ALL SHE HAD ENDURED. THE PAIN HER PURSUERS HAD ENDURED FAILED TO EVEN APPROACH THE PUNISHMENT SHE WISHED TO RAIN UPON THEM.**

**If Blake wished to return to her home she would follow and protect her on the way. Then. Then she would take stock of the world. It had been an age since she had left the Wylds, and her multitude of knowledge was founded in a civilization that had died long, long ago. It would do her good to see the world again.**

**Until then, she would give her little kitten a relaxing vacation from the horrors of the world. She reached out of her vessel and into the walls of the rose throne, finding a quick and clear path to a vault of garments.**


End file.
